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The persistent effects of foetal growth on child and adolescent mental health: longitudinal evidence from a large population-based cohort.
- Source :
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Oct2023, Vol. 32 Issue 10, p2067-2076, 10p, 2 Charts, 2 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Low birth weight for one's gestational age is associated with higher rates of child psychopathology, however, most studies assess psychopathology cross-sectionally. The effect of such foetal growth restriction appears to be strongest for attention problems in childhood, although adult studies have found associations with a range of outcomes, from depression to psychosis. We explore how associations between foetal growth and psychopathology change across age, and whether they vary by sex. We used a large nationally representative cohort of children from Ireland (N ~ 8000). Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 3 time points (age 9, 13 and 17). Outcomes included a total problems scale and subscales measuring attention/hyperactivity, peer, conduct and emotional problems. Foetal growth had significant associations with all problem scales, even after controlling for sex, socioeconomic factors and parental mental health. The magnitude of these effects was small but relatively stable across ages 9–17. In males, foetal growth had the strongest associations with attention/hyperactivity and peer problems, whereas females showed more widespread associations with all four subscales. There was a trend for the association between foetal growth and emotional problems to increase with advancing age, approaching the borderline-abnormal threshold by age 17. Reduced foetal growth predicted persistently higher scores on all measured aspects of child and adolescent psychopathology. Associations with child attention/hyperactivity may generalize to a wider array of adult psychopathologies via adolescent-onset emotional problems. Future studies should explore potential age-dependent effects of foetal growth into the early 20s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- COMPETENCY assessment (Law)
MENTAL illness risk factors
PSYCHOLOGY of parents
CROSS-sectional method
FETAL growth retardation
DEVELOPMENTAL disabilities
RISK assessment
ATTENTION-deficit hyperactivity disorder
SOCIOECONOMIC factors
SEX distribution
PATHOLOGICAL psychology
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
QUESTIONNAIRES
RESEARCH funding
BIRTH weight
LONGITUDINAL method
DISEASE complications
CHILDREN
ADOLESCENCE
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10188827
- Volume :
- 32
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 172360642
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02045-z